Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds has had a successful launch across the board. Between breaking peak player numbers on Steam too selling very well across all platforms, the latest hunt in this long-running series has been a resounding success.
While the game has also garnered critical acclaim, what does Lords of Gaming’s Lord Petey TV say about Capcom’s latest?
Monster Hunter Wilds – Gameplay Review
Playing over forty hours and counting, Lord Petey has seen much of what Monster Hunter Wilds has to offer. He made a few key points in his video, which you can watch above.
- Wound System – Monster Hunter Wilds features a new mechanic called a ‘Wound System’, where when players deal enough damage to a specific area, it creates a wound on the monster. Once created, players can pull off a powerful attack that heavily damages and knocks the monster over. Lord Petey highlighted how it added a lot to the encounters.
- Organic Progression – Lord Petey points out that the game starts easy-going, but becomes a higher challenge after defeating a late-game monster. After that point, Monster Hunter Wilds ‘fully’ opens up for players.
- Getting In the Zone – Lord Petey comments on the addictive nature of the gameplay loop, with Monster Hunter Wilds being fun and combat encounters always engaging players.
- Multiplayer Impressions – Lord Petey comments on the multiplayer, saying it’s fun to connect with other hunters and go on hunts but no ‘set’ meeting place could cause minor issues.
- Performance – One issue for many players across all platforms is performance problems. Lord Petey acknowledged the problem, saying the game ran largely great with some stutters on his gaming PC.
- Impressive Visuals – Lord Petey comments on how impressive Monster Hunter Wilds can look, highlighting the weather effects and monster designs.
Lord Petey has another video, detailing some specific positives and negatives of Monster Hunter Wilds. His takeaway is that it’s another great installment in Capcom’s long-running series.
Future Updates for Monster Hunter Wilds
Similar to prior Monster Hunter titles, Capcom will release content for Wilds later this year. The first update has been revealed, featuring the return of Mizutsune, an iconic monster from Monster Hunter Generations.
In addition, the Gathering Hub feature will return. It will offer players a place to meet, eat, and have fun together. The feature will be accessible upon finishing the main story.
Performance Issues
Despite the game’s overall being a great experience and additional content coming to the title in the future, one issue Monster Hunter Wilds has cannot be ignored. It has significant performance issues across all platforms, with PC players voicing their frustrations.
This is signified by the game’s ‘Mixed’ review status. It got enough negative reviews that Capcom responded, suggesting some tips to help with performance issues.
The game’s state on consoles isn’t ideal either, with Digital Foundry citing lackluster image quality and an unstable performance mode.
It is on PS5 Pro, hitting a stable 60FPS in that version’s performance mode. In many ways, Monster Hunter Wild’s performance issues mirror 2024’s Dragon’s Dogma 2, with that having similar performance issues on all platforms.
The main issue seems to be the engine choice, running on the RE Engine, an in-house engine that powers many of Capcom’s releases this generation. It’s great for linear experiences, like the Resident Evil series, but with open-world games, it is too demanding on the CPU.
Hopefully like Dragons Dogma 2, these issues will be ironed out as 2025 progresses.
Closing Thoughts
Following the launch cycle of this Monster Hunter has been exciting. Being able to play it at NY Comic Con, seeing the developer in person at a panel, and enjoying the public beta, I enjoyed covering this latest Monster Hunter.
Have you braved the wilds and gone on successful hunts? Let us know in the comments below!
